Photographer Looks Down at Ocean from Boat, Discover Massive Swarm of Devil Rays

[Judi Lynn]

09/22/2014
Photographer Looks Down at Ocean from Boat, Discover Massive Swarm of Devil Rays



http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/photographer-looks-down-at-ocean-from-boat-discover-massive-swarm-of-devil-rays

[lunasun]

1. Yes they are beautiful !

[dhill926]

2. wow…..

[Mnemosyne]

3. I stand in awe, wow. nt

[Scuba]

4. Count me in! Great pics. Thanks Judi Lynn!!!

[calimary]

5. Really astonishing, isn't it!

[lovemydog]

6. Thanks Judi Lynn.

Beautiful.

[niyad]

7. wow and k an r--thank you so much for sharing this.

[mountain grammy]

8. Nice, thank you.

[Gore1FL]

9. Beautiful and graceful in the water.

From experience, I can tell you sting rays are not pleasant on the bottom of the foot as they are on the eyes!

[packman]

10. On my bucket list

Would feel privileged to experience that

[eppur_se_muova]

11. Wish people would stop using the terms "devil ray" and "devil fish" ...

sounds superstitious, and attempts to portray them as dangerous animals. Sting rays use their poisonous spines exclusively for defense if attacked -- most "attacks" on humans come when humans step on resting rays in shallow water.

The photographer described these pictures as taken in the Gulf of Mexico:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/raymigration.asp

... but these are described as "golden rays". Unfortunately, a Google search finds only a "golden cownose ray" -- in the Pacific. Cownose rays seem the most likely identity for a Gulf species: http://www.fishnshrimpflorida.com/florida_rays.htm Oh, and the sting of a cownose ray is described as being weakly venomous, somewhat like a bee sting.

[OnyxCollie]

12. Fantastic.

[freethought]

13. Wow! AMAZING! One problem however.

Those aren't devil rays. Those are cow-nosed rays. If they were devil rays (manta rays) they would be huge.
Still, it's a spectacular natural display.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

14. what does the ray say?

"you doesn't has to call me Ray. You can call me Jay. .........."



I'd go swim with them in one hot second, if I could get the vacay at the right time!!!!

[catbyte]

15. What an unforgettable experience! I am jealous.